Consequence of the transformation of a primeval forest into a managed forest for carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) - a case study from Białowieża (Poland)

Abstract

A comparison was made of the number of species, species diversity and ecological traits of carabid beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) assemblages inhabiting Białowieża Primeval Forest (National Park) and adjacent managed Białowieża forest planted following clear-cutting of the primeval forest 80 years ago. Five pitfall traps were set in each plot in the primeval and managed forests in areas that differed in terms of humidity and soil fertility. The first hypothesis tested was that the type of stand (primeval vs. managed) has a greater effect on species diversity and life history traits of carabid assemblages than soil fertility or humidity. The second hypothesis tested was that a similar hierarchy of these factors affects the occurrence of particular species. It was demonstrated that the number of species in the primeval and managed forest sites did not differ significantly, but that mesic stands within these forests were more species-rich than boggy stands. However, the Shannon index for carabids was higher for the primeval stands. More species of carabids were recorded in the boggy primeval forest than boggy managed forest. The number of species was also higher in highly fertile than less fertile stands. These results indicate that the significant differences in the patterns of ecological traits among the assemblages studied depended mainly on humidity. This indicates the managed forest that was planted where a primeval stand was clear felled 80 years ago is a good quality habitat, which is a strong argument for protecting these stands.

Range of Pterostichus oblongopunctatus (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in conditions of global climate change

“…This species is abundant in the forests of South Moravia (Šejnohová, 2006). The species dominates in the forests of Poland (Sklodowski, 2006(Sklodowski, , 2014Kwiatkowski, 2011;Sklodowski & Garbalinska, 2011;Zalewski et al, 2012). There numerous reports of finding this species in Lithuania (Tamutis et al, 2011).…”

Environmental filtering is the main assembly rule of ground beetles in the forest and its edge but not in the adjacent grassland

“…The key filter condition could be high humidity and/or a low temperature, as both are among the most important environmental parameters influencing spatial distribution and persistence of not only the ground beetle adults, but especially the larvae that have limited mobility, weak chitinization, and therefore narrower tolerance limits than adults (Lövei & Sunderland, 1996). Another key factor for filtering co-existing species in the forest edge and interior could be the thick leaf litter layer, as it offers prey, habitat space and shelter from adverse microclimatic conditions (Koivula et al, 1999;Magura et al, 2001;Taboada et al, 2004;Skłodowski, 2014). While environmental filtering acted on ground beetles at the studied forest edge, in the case of nonvolant small mammals in southern Brazil, phylogenetically similar species coexisted less often than expected by chance, indicating a repulsion pattern (Luza et al, 2015).…”

Carabids benefit more from pine stands with added understory or second story of broad-leaved trees favored by climate change than from one-storied pine stands

“…Carabid beetles respond to changes in forest brought about by ecological succession. It has been demonstrated that the proportion of late-successional species in the carabid fauna is higher in stands with a more complex vertical structure growing on fertile soils compared to one-storied stands on poor soils (e.g., Skłodowski 2014). However, there have been no studies of carabid beetles in stands growing on poorer substrates where understory and a second story were introduced.…”